Prosthodontia system

ABSTRACT

A processor implemented prosthodontia system employs digital imaging of a restoration site and surrounding areas of an oral cavity and digital sampling of calorimetric values of tooth surfaces. The processor selects digital image data representative of a tooth surface configuration corresponding to the tooth number of the tooth to be restored and generates a three dimensional image of the restoration, with colorimetric values. Data comprising the shape and calorimetric values of the restoration is transmitted to a fabrication station for processor controlled fabrication through implementation of, for example, a three dimensional jet printing system employing particulate porcelain, polymeric dental composite, etc., and a binder, solvent or reactant and which builds a preform in successive layers of incremental cross sectional heighths. The shaped and colored preform is then hardened to produce a restoration having the specified size, shape and calorimetric values.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention relates generally to the practice of prosthodontia and more particularly to a processor implemented system for design and fabrication of dental restorations.

[0003] 2. Antecedents of the Invention

[0004] Prior methods of fabrication of dental restoratives, prosthesis or restorations such as crowns, bridges and the like, were taxing, time consuming procedures entailing both a dental practitioner as well as a laboratory technician. The dental practitioner generally utilized a dental impression material to form impressions, with the impressions then being employed to cast rigid models, which were then utilized by the dental laboratory technician to fabricate the restoration.

[0005] The precise dimensions, shape and coloration of the restoration were subjective parameters, dependent upon the expertise and experience of both the dental practitioner and the dental laboratory technician. Emplacement of the restoration in the oral cavity was also a time consuming practice which involved grinding surfaces of the restoration for occlusal and interproximal fit. Often, a restoration which fit well would be unsatisfactory in hue, chroma, luminous intensity or opacity, due to the subjective nature of color matching and the effects of artificial light at the practitioner's office which resulted in imperfect color matching when the restoration was viewed under different lighting conditions.

[0006] The procedure was expensive, labor intensive, time consuming and an inconvenience to the patient, due to the requirement for numerous visits to the dental practitioner.

[0007] With the advent of computer aided design systems, attempts were made to utilize processors for determining the shape of a restoration, based upon physical measurements or optical scans of the restoration site in combination with the utilization of processor controlled fabrication, e.g. cutting or milling of the restoration itself. Examples of typical proposed CAD-CAM systems were disclosed in the patents to CARLSSON, U.S. Pat. No. 5,851,115, NONOMURA, U.S. Pat. No. 5,555,884, JOHANNSON, U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,462, VAN ZER ZEL, U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,928, O'HARRA, U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,635 and MOERMANN, U.S. Pat. No. 4,575,805.

[0008] Further attempts were made in connection with computer-aided design of dental restorations which employed scanning a model of the restoration site and adjacent areas, as disclosed in the patents to GUIOT, U.S. Pat. No. 6,287,121, HULTGREN, U.S. Pat. No. 6,217,334 and SCHMITT, U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,778.

[0009] None of these prior systems resulted in a dental restoration having computer generated calorimetric values. Since these systems generally fabricated the restoration by milling or cutting from a block of material, the final calorimetric appearance of the restoration involved the manual application of a pigmented coating or the preselection of a starting mass or block of restoration material which was uniformly colored and selected, utilizing subjective color chart matching.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] A prosthodontia system employs a noncontact scanner to generate digitized three-dimensional representations (images) of a patient's oral cavity including the site of a restoration or prosthesis as well as' adjacent and occlusive tooth surfaces. When the restoration comprises a crown, scanning may occur prior to the preparation of a tooth remnant or abutment, followed by a scanning after the remnant or abutment surface has been shaped to accept a restoration.

[0011] In accordance with the invention, digital sampling of colorimetric values of the surfaces of the tooth remnant as well as adjacent tooth surfaces are also obtained.

[0012] The processor then utilizes the scanned digital image data, the calorimetric value data and digital image data of a preferred tooth configuration corresponding to the tooth number and tooth dimensions of the tooth to be restored. As a function of such data, the processor generates a digital image of the restoration in both its three dimensional shape and surface calorimetric values.

[0013] The data comprising the digital image and coloration of the restoration is received at a fabrication station. The restoration may be fabricated employing a processor controlled three-dimensional jet printing system, which builds a restoration preform having the appropriate calorimetric values in successive layers of incremental heighths. The preform is then hardened by curing or sintering, for example, and thereafter polished.

[0014] The entire prosthodontia system may be situate in a dental practitioner's office such that the restoration may be designed, fabricated and emplaced in a single patient visit. Alternatively, the fabrication station is at a remote site which fabricates restorations for a plurality of dental practitioners.

[0015] From the foregoing compendium, it will be appreciated that it is an aspect of the present invention to provide a prosthodontia system of the general character described which is not subject to the disadvantages of the antecedents of the invention aforementioned.

[0016] A feature of the present invention is to provide a prosthodontia system of the general character described which reduces the cost of dental restorations.

[0017] A consideration of the present invention is to provide a prosthodontia system of the general character described which reduces the inconvenience to patients normally associated with obtaining dental restorations.

[0018] Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a prosthodontia system of the general character described which implements processor controlled coloration of a restoration with appropriate calorimetric values matching those of the remaining teeth in a patient's mouth.

[0019] To provide a prosthodontia system of the general character described which employs a processor controlled three-dimensional jet printing system for fabricating a dental restoration is a further feature of the present invention.

[0020] A further consideration of the present invention is to provide a prosthodontia system of the general character described wherein the design, fabrication and fitting of a dental restoration may take place at a single visit to a dental practitioner's office.

[0021] Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a prosthodontia system of the general character described which eliminates subjective determinations.

[0022] A still further consideration of the present invention is to provide a prosthodontia system of the general character described which simplifies the design, fabrication and fitting of a restoration.

[0023] A still further feature of the present invention is to provide a prosthodontia system of the general character described which increase the dental practitioner's efficiency.

[0024] Other aspects features and considerations in part will be obvious and in part will be pointed out herein after.

[0025] With these ends in view, the invention finds embodiment in the certain combinations of elements, arrangements of parts and series of step by which the aforesaid aspects, features and considerations and certain other aspects, features and considerations are attained, all with reference to the accompanying drawings and the scope of which will be more particularly pointed out and indicated in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The accompanying drawings, in which is shown one of the various possible exemplary embodiments of the invention:

[0027]FIG. 1 is a schematized block diagram illustrating the major components of a prosthodontia system constructed in accordance with and embodying the invention and illustrating a processor in communication with an imaging scanner, a calorimetric value sampler and a fabrication station which receives data from the processor for the fabrication of a dental restoration,

[0028]FIG. 2 is a flow chart depicting some of the steps in practicing the prosthodontia system in accordance with the invention, and

[0029]FIG. 3 is a depiction of remaining steps in practicing the prosthodontia system.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0030] The term restoration, as employed herein should be construed in the broadest sense to include a dental restorative, a prosthesis of any kind or nature, such as a crown, cap, bridge, and crown-bridge and the term remnant should be construed to include any natural tooth portion to which the restoration is attached as well as abutments, posts and the like.

[0031] Referring now in detail to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 denotes generally a prosthodontia system constructed in accordance with and embodying the invention. The system includes a processor 12 in communication with the dental practitioner through a practitioner interface 14 and a monitor 16.

[0032] The system 10 further includes an imaging scanner 18, preferably configured for noncontact digital imaging of a patient's oral cavity. Suitable scanners may include laser optical probes, laser diodes and other scanning systems referred to in the aforementioned patents to CARLSSON, JOHANNSON, VAN ZER ZEL, O'HARA and MOERMANN or an MRI scanner as disclosed in the NONOMURA patent, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. It should be appreciated that any type of scanning device which is capable of generating digital images of affected teeth, the restoration site and surrounding surfaces of the oral cavity, including contact type devices may also be employed in conjunction with the invention.

[0033] In addition to the imaging scanner 18, a calorimetric value sampler 20 is coupled to the processor. The calorimetric value sampler 20 may comprise a sampling device such as that illustrated in the patent to O'BRIEN, U.S. Pat. No. 4,654,794, incorporated herein by reference or a device currently marketed under the mark X-RIGHT SHADE VISION SYSTEM manufactured by X-Right Corporation of Grandville, MI and distributed by Sullivan-Schein Dental of Melville, N.Y. The X-RIGHT SHADE VISION SYSTEM comprises a calorimeter which captures and digitizes the calorimetric values of teeth in hue, chroma, and luminous intensity as well as opacity.

[0034] Also associated with the processor is a library 22 of preferred tooth configurations stored in a memory 24.

[0035] The prosthodontia system additionally includes a fabrication station 26 which may be located at the same premises or at a remote location. Pursuant to the invention, the fabrication station 26 preferably comprises a processor implemented three-dimensional jet printing system which builds a restoration preform having appropriate calorimetric values in successive layers of incremental cross sectional heighths. Processor controlled fabrication equipment suitable for implementation in the present invention are generally disclosed in the patent to BREDT et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,416,850, RUSSELL et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,375,874, RUSSELL et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,007,318, BREDT et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,902,441, which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0036] A suitable fabrication station apparatus may comprise the Z400 series printing systems available from Z Corporation of Burlington, Mass. In operation, a dental restoration is fabricated by depositing a layer of particulate restoration material, e.g. porcelain or a polymeric dental composite, and then building successive individual incremental heighths of cross sectional areas of the restoration by using an ink-jet print head to deliver a solvent, binder or reactant to the particles, causing the particles to adhere together and to the underlying incremental heighth of cross sectional area of the restoration.

[0037] For a more complete understanding of the process for designing, fabricating and fitting a restoration pursuant to the invention, attention is directed to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 wherein various steps, designated collectively by the numeral 30, are depicted.

[0038] Upon commencing the procedure of the invention, the dental practitioner employs the interface 14 to input into the processor tooth identification data corresponding to the tooth which is being replaced or restored, as indicated in a block 32. The practitioner utilizes, as the interface, a keyboard and/or computer mouse with the tooth identification data comprising, for example, the numerical designation of the tooth or teeth being restored and may additionally include size measurements or other designations corresponding to such tooth or teeth.

[0039] The dental practitioner thereafter employs the oral imaging scanner 18 to generate digitized three-dimensional digital images of the affected teeth, i.e. the restoration site, adjacent teeth as well as occlusal tooth surfaces as indicated in a block 34. Thereafter, an inquiry is made as to whether or not there is a tooth remnant or abutment to which a restoration is to be attached. If there is a tooth remnant, the tooth remnant surfaces or the surfaces of an abutment are prepared for receiving a restoration as indicated in a block 38. The oral cavity is thereafter digitally rescanned for three-dimensional imaging as indicated in a block 40.

[0040] Sample colorimetric values are obtained through utilization of the calorimetric value sampler 20. In the event there was no tooth remnant for surface preparation when the inquiry was made in the block 36, the next step in the prosthodontia procedure would route to a block 42, i.e. sampling for calorimetric values.

[0041] The dental practitioner utilizes the calorimetric value sampler 20 to obtain colorimetric values of the tooth remnant and adjacent tooth surfaces, as indicated in the block 42.

[0042] The digital images as well as the digitized calorimetric values are transmitted to the processor 12. The processor 12 additionally retrieves, from the memory 24, a preferred tooth configuration from the tooth shape library 22, as indicated in a block 44.

[0043] The processor then generates the three dimensional shape and coloration of the restoration as a function of the digitized three-dimensional images, the digitized preferred tooth configuration and the digitized calorimetric values, all as indicated in a block 46.

[0044] After generating the three dimensional shape and coloration of the restoration, the processor transmits the shape and coloration data to the fabrication station 26, as indicated in a block 48.

[0045] It should be noted that at the fabrication station 26, the prosthodontia procedure continues as indicated in FIG. 3 and a preform is built by stacking layers of incremental heighths of the cross sectional areas of the restoration, as indicated in a block 50. The preform is thereafter hardened, as by sintering, light curing, aging or the like, to produce a properly dimensioned hard restoration having the appropriate calorimetric values, as indicated in a block 52.

[0046] The dental practitioner may then polish the restoration, as indicated in the block 54 and proceed with emplacement of the restoration as by cementation, as indicated in a block 56.

[0047] It should be appreciated that the restoration could comprise, rather than a single unitary body, a core formed of metal, ceramic or other material and a porcelain or polymeric dental composite overlay, both of which are separately fabricated in incremental cross sectional heighths at the fabrication station 26. The overlay having the specified calorimetric values, would then be mounted over the core, either before or after the curing or sintering operations. If the composite restoration is assembled after the core and overlay have been hardened, a suitable cement would be applied for bonding.

[0048] Thus, it will be seen that there is provided a prosthodontia system which achieves the various aspects, features and considerations of the present invention and which is well suited to meet the conditions of practical usage.

[0049] Since various embodiments of the present invention might be made without departing from the spirit thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein shown or described is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in the limiting sense. 

Having thus described the invention, there is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent:
 1. A prosthodontia system for the design and fabrication of a dental restoration for emplacement at a site in an oral cavity of a patient, the system comprising an imaging scanner for generating digital signals corresponding to three dimensional images of at least the site, a calorimetric value sampler for generating digital signals corresponding to calorimetric values of at least one tooth surface in the oral cavity, a processor, the processor being operatively connected to the imaging scanner and to the calorimetric value sampler, the processor receiving the imaging scanner signals and the calorimetric value sampler signals, a memory associated with the processor, the memory storing a tooth shape library comprising data representative of a plurality of tooth configurations, the processor accessing the memory and retrieving data representative of a preferred tooth configuration corresponding to the site, the processor generating a signal defining the three dimensional shape and colorimetric values of a restoration as a function of the imaging scanner signals, the colorimetric value sampler signals and the retrieved preferred tooth configuration data, the system further including a fabrication station, the fabrication station receiving the signal defining of the three dimensional shape and calorimetric values of the restoration and in response thereto, fabricating a restoration preform corresponding to the three dimensional shape and having the colorimetric values defined by the processor signal.
 2. A prosthodontia system for the design and fabrication of a dental restoration as constructed in accordance with claim 1, the system further including a practitioner interface operatively connected to the processor, a dental practitioner employing the practitioner interface to specify tooth identification data for the site, the processor receiving the tooth identification data and response thereto, selecting the preferred tooth configuration data to be retrieved from the memory.
 3. A prosthodontia system as constructed in accordance with claim 1 further including a preform, the preform comprising a particulate material adhered with a binder, the binder being in the configuration of the restoration, the preform comprising a stacked plurality of cross sectional incremental heighths.
 4. A prosthodontia system as constructed in accordance with claim 1 wherein the fabrication system comprises a three-dimensional jet printing system
 5. A prosthodontia system as constructed in accordance with claim 4 further including a preform, the preform comprising a particulate material adhered with a binder, the three dimensional jet printing system including at least one jet for depositing the binder in the configuration of a cross sectional heighth of the restoration, the binder being deposited on successive layers of particulate material.
 6. A prosthodontia system as constructed in accordance with claim 5 wherein the binder includes a coloring agent.
 7. A prosthodontia system as constructed in accordance with claim 5 wherein the particulate material comprises porcelain.
 8. A prosthodontia system as constructed in accordance with claim 5 wherein the binder comprises a solvent.
 9. A method of fabricating a dental restoration, the method comprising the steps of: a) scanning a digital image of the site of the restoration, b) obtaining a digital sampling of calorimetric values of at least one tooth surface at or adjacent the site, c) accessing data comprising a preferred tooth configuration corresponding to the site, and d) generating a signal representative of the three dimensional shape and surface colorimetric values of the restoration as a function of the digital image, the digital sampling of colorimetric values and the data comprising the preferred tooth configuration.
 10. A method of fabricating a dental restoration in accordance with claim 9 further including the step of: e) building a preform of the restoration as a function of the signal generated in step d).
 11. A method of fabricating a dental restoration in accordance with claim 10 wherein the step of building a preform includes: i) generating and stacking successive cross sections of incremental heighths of the restoration.
 12. A method of fabricating a dental restoration in accordance with claim 10 further including the step of: f) hardening the preform.
 13. A method of fabricating a dental restoration in accordance with claim 12 wherein the preform is hardened by sintering.
 14. A method of fabricating a dental restoration in accordance with claim 9 wherein the restoration is to be applied to a remnant, the method further including the steps of: preparing the remnant for the restoration and rescanning a digital image of at least the prepared remnant, the signal generated in step d) being a function of both the scanning step and the rescanning step.
 15. A prosthodontia system for the design and fabrication of a dental restoration as constructed in accordance with claim 1 wherein the imaging scanner, the calorimetric value sampler, the processor, the memory and the fabrication station are all situate at an office of a dental practitioner.
 16. A prosthodontia system for the design and fabrication of a dental restoration as constructed in accordance with claim 1 wherein the imaging scanner, the calorimetric value sampler, the processor and the memory are situate at an office of a dental practitioner and the fabrication station is situate at a different location.
 17. A prosthodontia system for the design and fabrication of a dental restoration formed of hardened particulate material for emplacement at a site in an oral cavity of a patient, the system comprising an imaging scanner, the imaging scanner generating digital signals corresponding to three dimensional images of at least the site, a processor, the processor being operatively connected to the imaging scanner, a memory associated with the processor, the memory storing a tooth shape library comprising data representative of a plurality of tooth configurations, the processor accessing the memory and retrieving data representative of a preferred tooth configuration corresponding to the site, the processor generating a signal defining the three dimensional shape of a restoration as a function of the imaging scanner signals and the retrieved preferred tooth configuration data, the system further including a three dimensional jet printing system for shaping particulate material into the configuration of the restoration.
 18. A prosthodontia system for the design and fabrication of a dental restoration as constructed in accordance with claim 17 wherein the particulate material is shaped by being adhered with a binder, the three dimensional jet printing system including at least one jet for depositing the binder in the configuration of a cross sectional heighth of the restoration, the binder being deposited on successive layers of particulate material.
 19. A prosthodontia system for the design and fabrication of a dental restoration as constructed in accordance with claim 17 wherein the particulate material comprises porcelain.
 20. A prosthodontia system for the design and fabrication of a dental restoration as constructed in accordance with claim 17 the system further including a practitioner interface operatively connected to the processor, a dental practitioner employing the practitioner interface to specify tooth identification data for the site, the processor receiving the tooth identification data and response thereto, selecting the preferred tooth configuration data to be retrieved from the memory. 